FantasyCreatureFilmsLLC
Jul 11, 2007 07:07AM

I received an invitation to a film festival a few years ago that was taking place in Bialystock. The festival was billed as taking place in this Polish town and that the town was historically a place of harmony between cultures going back hundreds of years between christians and muslims. There was no mention of the fact that up until the holocaust it was a large enclave of Jews and that its the scene of the most heinous crime of nazidom when they exported 2000 jewish children to Auschwitz toying with the British offer of taking the children for an exchange of prisoners. The friend who'd invited me to the festival, when I said this is a horrible way to promote this film festival and it should be mentioned, asked me to say nothing because he wanted to do business in Poland and be nice to the festival directors. I want to mention this here and commend you on using film to continue to question and probe those lives that were eradicated in a culture that still unfortunately has many that would rather pretend none of this happened. I only heard about the loss of my great grandfather's siblings family's eradication in Poland (a town outside Krakow) more recently from a European relative who was visiting the US.

kamyczek
Jan 16, 2007 05:09AM

I think that film "Traces" is very touching and is ęłęóęłęócommendable.
I think that Mauri and Irina do a lot of work to know his ancestors, his history and do a lot of ęłęóremembering the past.
History is very important because it allow to know the past.
Mauri and Irina I wish you ęłęóall the best with yours research.

FrancaN
Jan 08, 2007 03:49PM

Thanks so much for your film about my extended family. The film is a very moving representation of Irina's search for answers to what had happened to the relatives who had seemingly vanished from her family during and after the war. The film is portrayed very well as a whole, and the editing and musical score render the film a melancholy journey from the unknown to the known. Although the ending is a victory for the reunification of a family torn apart, it is bittersweet since the viewer now knows what has happened to some of the remainder of those lost.
I wish you much luck at all the festivals with your beautiful film.
Franca

PeterL
Jan 04, 2007 11:40AM

I was very moved by the restraint and dignity of this well-researched film. From my point of view (as a citizen of Great Britain as well as the European Union), it raises disturbing questions.

We need to establish shared knowledge and assumptions about The Holocaust if we are to prevent its like happening again.

For this reason, the film deserves the widest possible audience and I wish it well at the forthcoming film festivals.

RowleyNelk
Jan 04, 2007 10:32AM

As you are aware, Mauri, the film you and Irina have made has been a revelation to me and to many members of the family. My father, Marek Nelken would rage about the Holocaust throughout my childhood. He was, however, never specific about people and locations. I had heard only of Uncles Arnold and Yacoub who had perished with their families.

Your researches have not only brought me knowledge of relatives who died and who survived; they have helped different branches of Abram (Abramek, Arnold)'s surviving family to renew contacts. Without the prompting of your researches and filming, I would never have seen pictures of my cousins, uncles and aunts.

As to the film itself, having watched it several times, much of its power comes from the quiet understatement. Irina does not rage at the absence of a memorial in Ciechocinek; her comment : 'it makes me upset' says far more.

The gentle 'brushoff' from the official who wants no mention of synagogues in her office, also speaks volumes. Unlike Ciechocinek, Kleczew has a memorial for the Jews who were buried alive in the adjacent forest.

Is 'Traces 2' still a viable project? I hope so. Meanwhile I wish you every success with Traces at this year's festivals.

Rowland